Breakout-tongs



M BELCHE'R. BREAKQUT TONGS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, I921.

Patented Dec. 20, 19210 M. BELCHERZINVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

MARK BELCHER, C 3? WEST COLUMBIA, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO HUGHES TOOL COMPANY, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, A CORPORATIQN OF TEXAS.

BREMKOUT-TONG-S.

Application filed July 29,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Mam; BELOHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vest Columbia, Brazoria county, Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Breakout-Tongs of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to pipe wrenches for use in unscrewing and. screwing up pipe and has particular application to pipe wrenches for use in oil well drilling. The particular type of pipe wrench to which my invention is adapted is ordinarily termed breakout tongs and has its special use in uncoupling pipe when the same is being withdrawn from the well.

The object of my invention is to provide a breakout tongs for unscrewing the joints of pipe in drilling operations which will be quickly attached and detached from the pipe and which will automatically operate to grip the pipe by the swinging of the handle.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a wrench of the type described which will firmly grip the pipe in screwing and unscrewing operations without danger of mutilating or crushing the pipe.

Other objects and advantages of my construction will more clearly appear in the detailed description which follows, and the points of novelty will be more particularly set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing herewith in which like parts are designated by like numerals of reference in all of the views, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved breakout tongs shown in its gripping position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 8 is a detail showing the position of the jaws in inoperative position.

In the drawing, the wrench is shown as consisting of a handle which comprises an elongated bar having an attaching opening 2 in the end thereof. The opposite end adjacent the gripping portion is enlarged to form a head 3 having an eyelet 4 secured therein for the purpose of suspending the wrench in the derrick. At one side of the head and somewhat out of line with the axis of the handle are formed two forwardly projecting lugs 5 spaced apart to receive Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

1821. Serial No. 488,376.

hetween them a pivoted jaw 6. This jaw is pivoted to the head by means of a pin 7 extending transversely through the head and the jaw *3.

The jaw 6 is approximately crescentshaped and has on its inner side a pipe receiving recess 8 approximately semi-circular in form and slightly larger than the size of the pipe 9 to be received therein. On the inner face of the recess 8 I provide a plurality of teeth 10, these teeth being triangular in cross-section and dovetailed within the recess 8 in such manner as to present one of the sharp points thereof outwardly so as to grip the pipe. These teeth may be reversed when one of the cutting points or edges becomes dull. At the forward end of the jaw 6 I contemplate attaching a handle 11 for the use of the driller in swinging the tongs against the pipe. I also provide second eyelet 12 on the upper face of the jaw 6 to which a second attaching means may be secured to support the wrench within the derrick.

The rearward side of the jaw 6 is ex tended beyond the pivotal point 7 so as to extend to a point about flush with the side of the handle 1. This portion of the jaw is bored out to provide a socket 15 to receive the shaft 13 upon a sliding aw 14:. The end of said socket 15 adjacent the jaw 14 is countersunk to allow the jaw to move longitudinally within the said socket. The outer face of the jaw 14 is toothed for contact with the pipe.

The shaft 13 of the jaw 14 is slotted at 16 intermediate the ends to receive a transverse pin 17. I'Vithin this slot I place a spiral spring 18, one end of which is adapted to bear against the pin 17 and the opposite end to bear against the rearward end of the slot. T he action of this spring is, therefore, to force the jaw rearwardly from the pipe and to thus hold the jaw out of contact with the pipe under normal conditions. iVhen the aw is thus held in inoperative position, the rearward end of the shaft 18 projects beyond the side of the jaw 6 and is forced by the spring into contact with the shoulder 19 of the head 3.

In the operation of my breakout tongs the device is suspended within the derrick by means of a cable or chain secured to the eye lots 4 and 12. lVhen the pipe has been drawn upwardly out of the well, the tongs are swung over against the tool joint which is to be unscrewed and the pipe is received within the recess 8 of the jaw 6. The handle 1 is then swung in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 1. The swinging of the handle in this direction will bring the shoulder 19 of the head against the rearward end of the shaft 13 of the jaw, and will thus act to force the jaw forwardly into contact with the pipe. The further the handle is swung the greater will be the pressure upon the jaw and the action will thus be to firmly clamp the pipe between the jaw 14 and the teeth 10 of the jaw 6. It is common practice in breaking out pipe to swing the handle into position to be received against a breakout pin standing upwardly from the platform. The pipe is then rotated by means of the rotary, and the wrench, being held against rotation, will hold the joint' stationary while the pipe is thus being rotated and unscrewed from the joint. When the unscrewing operation is being performed the pipe will be firmly gripped by the wrench in such manner as to hold it firmly, but the manner in which-the jaws are arranged will prevent the mutilation of the oint. lVhen it is desired to release the pipe the swinging of the handle inthe reverse direction will bring the shoulder 19 away from the shaft 13 of the jaw 14 and the action of the spring will immediately throw the jaw 14 out of contact with the pipe and instantly release it. r

I lVhile I have shown my wrench as especially adapted for breakout purposes, itwill be obvious that my construction will serve for other purposes in uncoupling pipe or drill stem, and I do not wish tobe limited, therefore, to this particular use of my tongs. The head of the wrench may be made in different sizes which may accommodate the tool for use on different sizes of pipe, and it is obvious that it will be adapted for both drilling and pumping operations.

Having thus described my invention, the further objects and advantages of which will be apparent to one skilled in the art, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is z 1. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a head thereon, an arcuate jaw pivoted at one side said slidable jaw being so arranged that the 7 contact of said shoulder therewith will force it forwardly toward the work.

2. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a head thereon, an arcuate jaw pivoted at one side of said head, the other side of said head forming a shoulder, a second jaw slidable in the rear end of said arcuate jaw, and means holding said slidable jaw resiliently in contact with said shoulder, whereby the swinging of said handle relative to said arcuate jaw will advance said sildable jaw against the work.

3. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a head thereon, an arcuate jaw pivoted at one side of said head, a second jaw slidable relative to said arcuate jaw, a rearward projection on said slidable jaw held resiliently against said head and adapted to be advanced toward the work by the swinging of said head.

4. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a head thereon, an arcuate jaw pivoted at one side of said head, a second jaw unconnected with said head and slidable on said arcuate'jaw, and a spring acting to hold said slidable jaw against said head.

5. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a head thereon, a jaw pivoted at one side of said head and having a pipe receiving recess therein, a slidable jaw on the rear end of said arcuate jaw, a rearward extension on said arcuate jaw, a pin projecting through a slot in said extension, a spring in said slot bearing against said pin and acting to force said slidable jaw toward said head in the manner described.

6. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a head thereon, a jaw pivoted on said head, a sec ond jaw slidable on said pivoted jaw and unconnected with said head, and means to advance said slidable jaw actuated by the swinging of said handle. I

In testimony. whereof, I hereunto my signature, this the 21st day of July, 1921. I

MARK BELOHER. 

